Ceres Wins Zayed Future Energy Prize For Clean Energy Leadership

BOSTON, January 15, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Ceres today announced that it has been awarded the top prize in the non-governmental organization (NGO) category of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious awards recognizing and rewarding innovation, impact, leadership, and long-term vision in renewable energy and sustainability.

The Zayed Future Energy Prize is awarded as part of the World Future Energy Summit, being held this week in Abu Dhabi to celebrate and encourage leadership and innovation in sustainable development, energy efficiency and clean technologies. This year’s awards attracted 579 submissions from participants in 88 countries.

“We believe that investing in people is the future of our collective prosperity,” said His Highness General Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, at the awards ceremony. “Through the Prize, we are not only recognizing tremendous achievement, but also providing support to help accelerate promising technologies and fund organizations, schools and individuals committed to impacting communities around the world.” 

“The winners tonight show that change is possible, that vision and innovative thinking hold great promise for us all through practical endeavors,” said President of the Republic of Iceland and Chairman of the Zayed Future Energy Prize Jury, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.

“Ceres is honored to receive a Zayed Future Energy Prize, and we believe it will enable us to have an even greater impact in our work,” said Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres. “In order to tackle the global challenge of climate change, we must expect even bolder action from investors, businesses, and policymakers. We will use the Prize to expand international investor leadership on clean energy and to grow our ongoing work with leading companies that are striving to integrate sustainability into their operations by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy.”

Since 1989, Ceres has worked closely with businesses and financial leaders to promote a more sustainable economy. In the past few years alone, Ceres has:

• Moved the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require all public companies to disclose material financial risks associated with climate change;
• Mobilized the insurance industry to take strong action on risks posed by climate change and extreme weather;
• Mustered key business support from its Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition and its Investor Network on Climate Risk for policies and regulations that are helping trigger the retirement of coal-fired power plants across the U.S. while boosting renewable energy; and
• Authored economic analysis used in establishing groundbreaking U.S. fuel economy standards that represent one of the largest greenhouse gas-reducing policies in U.S. history.

Candidates for the Zayed Future Energy Prizes were assessed through a rigorous evaluation process and chosen by a panel of energy and sustainability experts. The prize carries a $1.5 million award for NGO winners.

Further information on the awards and nominees can be found at the Zayed Future Energy Prize website.

For more information:

Peyton Fleming, 617-247-0700 x 120, cell: 617-733-6660, fleming@ceres.org

Brian Bowen, 617-247-0700 x148, bowen@ceres.org

About Ceres

Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership.  Ceres mobilizes a powerful coalition of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $11 trillion.

For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org